Town of Ulster convenience store fire ruled accidental

A pile of charred rubble was all that remained on Wednesday of the Empire Mart & Deli on Hurley Avenue in the town of Ulster. (Freeman photo by Tania Barricklo)

TOWN OF ULSTER, N.Y. --The fire that destroyed the Empire Mart & Deli on Hurley Avenue has been ruled accidental, the result of a vehicle in a garage behind the business catching fire, Spring Lake Fire Department Chief Doc Cranston said on Wednesday.

Cranston said people from the business were "working on" the vehicle Tuesday when it caught fire and the blaze spread.

The owners of the business were scheduled to go before the town of Ulster Planning Board to seek permission to put a repair shop there, Cranston said.

According to the Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, the New L&J Corp. of Queens owns the business.

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Asked whether it was a client's or employee's vehicle that ignited, Cranston said he still was looking into the matter.

The chief said there were two other vehicles in the garage along with the one that caught on fire.

An attached vacant restaurant space, which was a pizzeria until two weeks ago, also was heavily damaged by the fire.

No one was injured in the blaze.

State police said two employees were in the convenience store when the fire started at 3:45 p.m. but were able to get out safely.

The store was at 454 Hurley Ave., next to John A. Coleman Catholic High School.